What is the ideal calling rifle weight

Yotarunner

Custom Call Maker
So I'm kinda kicking around the idea of building up a custom or semi custom coyote specific rifle. I'm a bit of an accuracy nut when it comes to custom stuff and always end up liking the rifles with truck axles for a barrel BUT unlike all my semi custom target guns this rifle will be carried often. I have taken my 15lb target rifles coyote hunting and it's no fun at all unless I'm no further than 50 yards from the truck.
Currently my "go-to" is a tikka t3 with bipod and buttstock shell holder coming in somewhere around 8lb
What does everyone else prefer for a walk about predator rig as far as weight is concerned?
 
I think your in the ballpark at that weight, you could go with a little lighter depending on the scope and maybe lose the bipod , I find they tend to get tangle in the grass/brush when a coyote comes in at an unexpected angle. Calling you can get away with a much lighter scope as a large majority of your shots should be inside 300 yards and your can hold on fur. No need for turrets or high magnification, I shoot 1-4x20mm, 1.5-6x40mm and 2-7x32mm scopes on almost all my coyote hunting rifles.

It is fun to put together a new rifle. I just started one in 20 Practical, mine will travel in a back scabbard or on the motorcycle band will come in right at 8-9 lbs. depending on how I scope it.
 
8 lbs is a decent weight.
I try to keep mine under 7 but always seem to go over a bit.
Tikka superlite is 5.9 lbs then the scope choice determines the final. I got a decent zeiss scope on warranty and went over.
 
For me, any of my rifles with shorter barrels always feel lighter to me than what the scale actually says they are so I'd recommend you consider building something with a barrel length around 20 inches +/- an inch or two, but even at that, depending on your components, you very well could be in the 9lb range.

My 22-250 has a #5 unfluted barrel that is only 18 inches long and the optic sitting on top (Zeiss HD5) isn't particularly heavy and it still weighs 9lbs 8oz so unless you go with really LW components, you'll likely be in the 8.5 - 9.5 lb range.

I'm currently having a 6mm Creedmoor built using a Proof Research CF wrapped barrel that'll have a finished length of 20 inches. It's being built on a SA Rem 700 with standard BDL bottom metal and a McMillan Varmint model stock. I had a Vortex HS-T, which isn't particularly heavy, sitting on the shelf that'll be going on this build. I weighed all the parts before I dropped them off at my smiths and the grand total came in at right around 9 lbs.
 
My first AR was a 24" bull barrel, about as big and heavy as ARs get.

Some time after that I joined a gym and started lifting a lot of weights. Some how my rifles became a lot lighter and easy to carry after that.
 
Whichever one you shoot well. If you are not hiking miles on end than a 9-10 pound rifle with a sling should not be a big deal. I have a little little 7 pound ready to shoot Ruger Ranch but I almost always take my Stevens 200 in 22-250 with a Boyds laminate stock and a 27 1/2 inch Harris bipod. I shoot it well and honestly rarely miss with it. I have certainly had misses, but not very many with that particular rifle.
 
I like short & lightweight. So much of the time, one has heavier clothes on, walks a bunch, and then only takes a shot or 3, maybe.

Some like the 20” Browning ‘Micro-Hunter’ is up my alley. If you have longer ranges up that way, a 243 will do.

I’ll save the heavier weight rifles for prairie dog town.
 
Balance of the weight is more important to me than just the weight alone. But i don't do a lot of walking between stands either.
 
Thompson Center Venture weighs in at 7lbs,with the Weaver Grand Slam 5x20x50 about 8lbs get a good sling and you're good to go,400 yards with the 204 is easy if you can shoot and run your specific round through a good ballistics program.
 
Thanks for the input guys! For those wondering it will likely be in 222 or 220 swift and either a rem 700 or tikka t3 action. I'm not one for big monster scopes on my calling rifles so a 3x9 or 4x12 helps save weight on the finished product.
 
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Originally Posted By: GRIZZLYONEWhatever you can shoot accurately.

This.
It sure sounds to me like your Tikka is just the ticket. Don't over think it.

Hef-A
 
Rem 700 SPS Tac 20" barrel, BC Medalist stock, SWFA SS 3-15. Not sure exact weight of this set up but it's got to be in the 10 lb range. It is still my favorite rifle to shoot off shooting sticks. I've tried my lighter guns and dont like them.
 
You've already got a good light weight combo, I have same set up in a Tikka 22-250. It is as or more accurate than any of my heavy barrel varmint or tac rifles.

Bought a Savage Lightweight Hunter a few years ago in 243 and it is a dream to carry. The Tikka still has the accuracy edge so I would sway towards their Superlite if I was to buy another lightweight.

I hate to carry a bunch of gear when hunting or having a 15lb rifle trying to fall off my shoulder so after some foot problems and now hand operations I go the lightest one I feel lucky with when I go out.

Cheaper to "Suck it up Buttercup" as my daughter would say and start lifting something other than doughnuts. But, its still fun dreaming about the ultimate, supper accurate, fully dressed out 5lb. calling rifle.
 
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I have one of these in 17Rem and one in 204. 6lbs 40z. with scope ammo, sling, and 22" barrel. Accuracy is 5 rounds inside of a dime at 100yds.

 
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Originally Posted By: BOWLSEYEYou've already got a good light weight combo, I have same set up in a Tikka 22-250. It is as or more accurate than any of my heavy barrel varmint or tac rifles.

Bought a Savage Lightweight Hunter a few years ago in 243 and it is a dream to carry. The Tikka still has the accuracy edge so I would sway towards their Superlite if I was to buy another lightweight.

I hate to carry a bunch of gear when hunting or having a 15lb rifle trying to fall off my shoulder so after some foot problems and now hand operations I go the lightest one I feel lucky with when I go out.

Cheaper to "Suck it up Buttercup" as my daughter would say and start lifting something other than doughnuts. But, its still fun dreaming about the ultimate, supper accurate, fully dressed out 5lb. calling rifle.

yeah i love my tikkas and in all reality dont need a new gun in the slightest but when did need ever have any sway over gun purchases. i may play with customizing the tikka i already have and maybe it will help the need pass before i end up phoning the gunsmith with some hairbrained plan.
 
I have a Savage Axis Camo .223 with the Sythetic Stock and the cheaper factory Bushnell Scope...its a nice light Rifle that's very accurate right out of the box.I tried out a Friends Savage .204 with the Bull Barrel and decide right then an there that if I was going to do a lot of Predator Hunting that required walking up and down these Missouri Hollers there was No way I could pack such a heavy Rifle around.
 
My favourite right now is a rem700 lvsf sitting in a modified Boyd’s featherweight thumbhole stock. I shortened to around 13in LOP and reshaped the thumbhole grip to be more of a forward pistol grip. New barrel is a 26 in lilja #2 17-204. Weight feels very similar to the factory barrel. I’m guessing the rifle weights around 7 lbs. Just fits me very well and definitely not muzzle heavy which can make all the difference. I don’t mind toting a heavy rifle at all my 22-243win was around 17lbs but I hate handling a rifle that is muzzle heavy.

It’s been a long time since I handled a lot of different rifles. But for factory rifle 10 years ago I really liked the feel of Thompson Center Venture rifles.
 
Since I am a single shot shooter I have stuck with a number of Ruger #1's and a Browning 78. All of these have become a bit of a problem for me to carry very far due to medical (COPD and Heart) conditions. I shoot them but usually need help getting to a stand. Just a personal problem.

I have been thinking about having a light weight rifle made up in .223, .223 AI or 22 PPC in either a traditional single shot format like Stevens, or perhaps Win Low Wall. Certainly there is always consideration for a bolt gun here also. For the biggest amount of shooting we get here in Southernmost Illinois our longest likely shot could be 300 yds. but more then likely with good calling and obliging coyotes shots will be 150 yds. and in. This will allow me to go with the smaller scope as well instead of the "big stuff" I have on almost all the #1's.

I kind of like the idea of a lighter more "svelte" rifle.

I would like to keep the whole thing under 7lbs. and closer to 6lbs. would be great. I just am not going to get more then two shots off at a target before it ducks into heavy cover in our country.

So, thats my ideal calling rifle.... between 6 and 7lbs. total weight.

Just some old guy thoughts.

 
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